Please don’t ask how long it has taken me to share this recipe with you. If I answer honestly, you may begin to think that I’m holding out on you. There’s a chance that I have already posted this either on the old blog or here. But when I did a search for it, it came back with no results. So I’m going to take that to mean I have not yet introduced you to Roasted Salmon in Pinot Sauce…even though I sincerely meant to.
You can forgive me, right?
Roasted Salmon with Pinot Sauce
Adapted from Mark Bittman
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups pinot noir
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 salmon steaks or filets
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven heats, cook the sugar in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat until it liquefies and starts to develop a brown color, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully add the wine. Return the saucepan to a high heat and cook until the caramelized sugar melts, stirring carefully. Add the rosemary and continue to cook over high heat until the sauce reduces down to about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes.
Ten minutes before you’re ready to cook the fish, place a stainless steel frying pan with about 1 tablespoon olive oil in the oven to heat. Take out the salmon, dry it with paper towels, and season with kosher salt.
Carefully remove the HOT frying pan from the oven and place the salmon in the pan (skin side down if using skin on filets). Return the pan to the oven and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the fish easily flakes with a fork.
While the fish is in the oven, finish the sauce by adding the balsamic vinegar and butter to the saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter melts. Remove the rosemary sprig, taste for seasoning, and add salt as necessary.
Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve. Leftover sauce can be kept in the refrigerator.
Bon Appetit Hon 
Hmm. Well. Huh. I just don’t know about this. Why did it take you so long to post? And you didn’t really say that much about it. Is it in your regular rotation now? I’m a big Bittman fan though, so maybe…
Lord only knows what took me so long to share this. I don’t make it too often since it requires me to face my nemesis…partial bottle of wine. {tangent – which usually leads to a full embrace of the box of wine. end tangent} Don’t let my lack of jazz hands or effusive commentary stop you from making it. It’s sublime.
Hee hee – all hail box wine! I am usually all for cooking with wine but for some reason the pinot salmon combo just sounds odd to me. I’ll have to give it a try and let you & Mark prove me wrong.
No, no, no. Pinot Noir and salmon are a fantastic combination. At least in my opinion.
My darling, you had me at Pinot. But you knew that. 🙂
I did, and that is why you have my unyielding loyalty.
Why is a half bottle of wine your nemesis??? I’d call it my friend. =)
Because I can’t let that half bottle go unloved. And then it makes me want to love another bottle. It’s a vicious cycle.
Dear Wendy,
Your roasted Salmon and Pinot sauce sounds very interesting and can’t wait to try it. However, I think it is your writing style and humor that will bring me back to your blog. Love it. Take Care, Bobbi
Bobbi, I can’t thank you enough for your kind words. Glad you enjoy the food and the writing here at BAH.